Chris Dudley Basketball Camp was AMAZING!
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Not only was the week of camp AMAZING... the t-shirts this year at camp were a SLAM DUNK!
2017 was a great session of camp! A hot one, but nevertheless epic! Make sure to stay in touch and post any pics you have!
And P.S. days 341 days till next year!
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August is Water Quality Month!
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In the heart and heat of summer, water becomes an even more all-important topic than ever - thus August is Water Quality Month.
Appropriate hydration is critical for people with diabetes.
However, it's not just about cooling down; sometimes water is more about heating up! Read up on the potential benefit of hot tubbing for diabetes.
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International Clown Week
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August 1-7th,
was a week of clowning around and education! O
ne diabetes educator uses
rodeo clowns
as an educational metaphor. The week has passed but the information is still very important!
The Betes Organization uses clowns, puppeteers and other forms of performance art to help those with diabetes and other conditions.
These two Alaskan brothers with diabetes don't claim to be clowns, but they juggle the challenges of unicycling mega distances.
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Assistance Dog Day
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As we have all had our "dog days" of summer, we note that August 4th was Assistance Dog Day! There are many types of assistance dogs, including those to help individuals with diabetes. Beyond Type One offers an informative summary of how Diabetic Alert Dogs can be a safety tool for diabetes.
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The Solar Eclipse
August 21
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You may not realize the ties between diabetes and the upcoming eclipse; after all it can be a bit hard to see! The obvious is the reminder that diabetes and conscientious eye care go hand in hand.
There is also Eclipse Medical where you can supposedly sign up for some freebies, like a talking glucose meter.
And of course sugarfree Eclipse gums and mints have saved many a bad breath.
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Recipe of the Month:
Start your day with a fruity hit of sunshine in a glass. (Cue ominous music.)
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Ingredients:
Oranges,
bananas, raspberries, and mint go for a spin in the blender to make this vitamin-packed breakfast sipper.
Enjoy the bright color before the darkness descends.
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Go Elliot Go... with Good
Glucose
!
CDF was able to catch up with Good Glucos founder Elliot Gatt while he was literally on the go, out with
Team Bike Beyond
on the kick-a-you-know-what diabetes trail where these undefeatable t1d'ers are riding coast to coast and finishing up triumphantly this month!
You can meet all of the riders on his team here as well as check out Elliott's journal.
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Rider Elliot Gatt is a pretty unique and cool guy in that he founded his own business, Good Glucose
,
a for profit social enterprise with a heckuva good cause: helping make test strips affordable for everyone. Learn more about Elliot's adventures and perspectives in this lively exchange below, including his words of wisdom for CDF fans.
Go Team!
Your Secret Sauce
:
What is that special something that gets you up in the morning and helps you keep going long past the point when everyone else has thrown in the towel?
It's knowing what I came on this ride to do - it's to bike across America. When I was first diagnosed it was a week before a 400km bike ride, which I had to give up because of the diagnosis. This is about gaining control of my diabetes. It's about overcoming; it's now about riding well over 4000km. It's not ever taking lightly the blessing it is to able to be out here and accomplish something of this magnitude. I don't ever want to squander this opportunity.
Bittersweet-ness:
Now that you've been biking
for 45 days are you having any regrets (be honest :)!) about having taken on this incredible challenge?
I regret not being able take enough time to run Good Glucos. I trained hard for this to be able to complete the riding days in 3-5 hours, and because we have varying experience levels, we complete days in 6-9 hours. It's tough to not be able to give the time required to Good Glucos.
Naysayers:
Who (or what) became your biggest nemesis in deciding to be a part of this momentous occasion and adventure?
I've always wanted to do an epic bike ride, and when I heard about it I thought it couldn't get better than this. I weighed time away from my company against time in the community; time with fellow T1Ds - understanding their struggles and what they need; being part of the Beyond Type 1 community; and telling the story of Good Glucos and our mission to make test strips accessible to everyone. The trip won out, and it has been incredible to experience all these things. It's been amazing to see the strength of those living with diabetes, and those who care for those living with diabetes. To be quite frank, it has brought me to tears to see how far these small and big communities across this great country have gone to support our team: inviting us into their home, cooking meals for us, doing our laundry, making shirts, and buying snacks for us - the kindness at times has been overwhelming.
Unsung Hero:
Who saved the day or has really come through for you or the team either during the ride, or in the preparation phases that you'd like to recognize?
I'd like to recognize my best friend on the team, Sid Sharma. He is a true leader. He pulls this team together in an incredible way. He sacrifices so much, and has been there for so many on this team. His patience, determination and ability to connect with those in this community is just amazing to watch. I couldn't make it through this journey without him.
Go-to-Its:
What are the necessities that are your must-haves to make your riding complete?
Must haves are chocolate milk, and sleep. We don't usually get enough sleep, but the chocolate milk never stops flowing.
Good Glucos:
Have there been ample opportunities to share and gain exposure and interest for Good Glucos? How have you been able (or not able) to get the Good Glucos name and cause out there while you've been on the trail?
Yes, the pop-up parties across the country have been awesome, and just speaking to all the incredible people we meet in every little town has been incredible! We've given our cards, bracelets, t-shirts and coupon codes out all in an effort to fulfill our mission.
Oopsidaisy:
What essential (or nonessential) item did you forget to bring - and how did you work it out?
I literally have everything I need. So things have been good!
Stickin' With Ya:
Who or what did you meet or see along the way that you will always remember?
It was incredible to be at the benefit concert in Nashville. To hear from and meet musicians like Eric Paisley and Chrystal Bowersox - to hear their stories of living with diabetes. To hear about the lows they have had, the challenges they have overcome, and get team shoutouts midway through the songs - and then of course to meet them on stage.. was literally one of the coolest moments of my life.
Redo & Rewind:
If you could do this crazy bike ride extravaganza all over again, what would you change?
Everything. I think I would have applied to be a leader in the group to help with logistics, route planning, and performance based ride groups.
Words of Wisdom:
What would you say to the Chris Dudley audience specifically?
I think the best advice I could give is to never think: "I can't do that because of my T1D." Diabetes sucks - it's a tough thing to manage, it's an everyday thing to manage. The good news however is that it CAN be managed, and it doesn't have to ever get in the way of reaching any goal or fulfilling any dream. I think because of the difficulty of managing this disease, as those of us living with T1D, we have a mental fortitude that can get us through anything, including a ridiculously long bike ride.
Listen Up: You're not only tackling challenges that many folks with diabetes would not even consider, but you are doing things most people - regardless of diabetes or not - don't try either. What is your message as someone with diabetes for people who don't have diabetes?
It's to take time to realize and appreciate what you have, and what you are capable of, to make use of all the good you've been given, and push your body so you can get a glimpse of all that you could achieve.
Golden Nugget: What is your biggest and best takeaway from the journey?
I think its knowing that I can do this! :D It makes you think what else is possible, and that is an exciting way to live.
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Enjoy the last bit of your summer!!!
Chris Dudley and
Chris Dudley Foundation
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